Death Wish: Firsts
by Robin Mask
Summary: It was their first Christmas together . . . Peter wanted it to be perfect, but it seemed that his family had other ideas. He just wanted them to see Wade the way that he did. Wade deserved acceptance.
1. Chapter 1

**Death Wish: Firsts **

**Chapter One**

"Wade? The mistletoe?"

Peter looked up at his boyfriend. The older man smiled from behind his mask, enough so that thin lines appeared on the material and he looked rather ominous. He could hear Wade laugh a little, just as he felt the other man shift his legs apart, and suddenly Peter found his comfortable spot ruined by the movement. It was hard not to pout as he scooted his body a little further down the sofa, but he simply repositioned his head on the ex-mercenary's thigh and gave a sigh.

The only bright side to Wade's movement was that his gloved hand came down to rest upon Peter's head, where Wade began to stroke his hair gently and affectionately, and he couldn't help but to close his eyes and let out a low moan. He turned his head to nuzzle against the denim, only to find his nose poked by a mistletoe leaf, which caused Wade to laugh loudly and move the piece of mistletoe further down his belt. Peter rolled onto his side with a sigh. He pressed his knees onto the back-seat cushions and rested his left hand on the crease between Wade's hip and thigh.

"I mean it, Wade. Don't just move it."

"Aw, where's your holiday spirit? This is best time of year, except for Halloween! Seriously, that holiday _rocks_! Only day of the year where I don't have to wear a mask, which – by the way – saves a _fortune _on costumes! Anyway, where's my kiss?"

"I'll kiss _that _when we get home," snapped Peter. "Look, my father is pretty peeved that we're even _dating_, and he's known for – what – four months now? It took _weeks _to convince him to let you come to dinner, especially on Christmas Eve; it's always been a day just for my parents and me . . . just . . . please, Wade? It's a funny joke, but wearing mistletoe above your crotch is _really _going to pee him off."

"Dude, why do you think I'm wearing it? Come on, Peter, you're all grown up now and even have your very own apartment and everything! If he gets all pissed that you're in a relationship, that's his problem! It's not like I've plundered the Spidey-Cave or you've been wading in the 'pool -! We're all good!"

"He's not peeved that I'm in a relationship, it's –"

"The fact that it's me?"

Peter snatched the mistletoe away. He threw it rather angrily across to the coffee table, which caused Wade to whine behind his mask and move to snatch it back. It was likely that – at that very moment – the ex-mercenary felt rejected, perhaps even embarrassed by the fact that he had acted in a way that Peter found objectionable, and he was probably hiding his hurt feelings behind his mask. There was no way that he would let Wade feel as if he had done something wrong. He needed to reassure him.

It was then that Peter sat up, before he then placed both hands on Wade's shoulders and straddled him where he sat, and at once the older man's legs came together to give Peter a place to sit. Wade's hands came to rest on Peter's hips, whereas Peter took that moment to wrap his arms around Wade's neck and pull close to him, so that he leaned their foreheads against one another and pressed their noses together. He wanted to unmask his boyfriend. He wanted to kiss him. The only problem was that they currently sat in the over-decorated living-room of Tony's floor in Stark Tower, which meant – at any moment – his parents could walk in on them. Peter instead placed a chaste kiss to Wade's covered lips. He didn't want to risk getting caught.

They sat for a long moment simply looking into each other's eyes. Peter placed one last kiss to Wade's covered lips, before he swung around and let his body slide back to resting upon the sofa, and let his head lie again on his boyfriend's lap. Wade reached behind him awkwardly, but then pulled down a throw that had been draped on the back of the sofa. It was warm and Peter felt comfortable wrapped up against the other man, but he knew that there would still be a lingering doubt in Wade's mind, and so he grabbed Wade's hand and held it upon his chest.

"You won me over," said Peter.

"Yeah, but you're my one of a kind Spidey!"

Peter laughed and squeezed Wade's hand in reassurance. He knew that Wade would win his father over in time, because Wade simply had a larger-than-life personality and a truly good soul. It was good that his father had learned to tolerate their relationship, but he wanted Tony to also _accept_ it, and – unfortunately – there was very little he could say to reassure his boyfriend without lying to him. He decided to change the conversation instead, in hopes of distracting Wade.

"Hey, did you ever read _Hamlet_?"

"Do I _look _like I would have read _Hamlet_?" Wade asked.

"'Shall I lay my head in your lap?'" Peter said. "'There's a fair thought to lie between a maiden's legs' . . . hey, that reminds me. You think I still get to unwrap my present later? You _did_ mention a wade in the 'pool, plus it _is _Christmas."

"Dude, after you just called me a chick? No way! _Like we can ever say no to that! _Too true, we'd only be hurting ourselves by denying Petey! Still, it's not like we can let any insult like that just go unpunished . . . _are we sure it's an insult? _. . . well, a 'maiden' is a girl, right? That seems like an insult to me! Wait -! Can we say that? You just _know _our female readers will take offence and –"

"Wade, you're babbling again," said Peter. "I didn't mean to insult you! I suppose Elizabethan puns probably weren't the way to go, especially taken out of context and with only the build-up without the punchline, but . . . trust me, you'd laugh about _nothing _and _country matters, _if you had any idea what I meant! It was funny."

"Let me guess? It's an innuendo? Heh, _in-your-endo_!"

"Something like that," Peter laughed.

He reached up to pulled Wade down, whilst he used his free arm to push himself up and – as they met midway – he placed another kiss onto his boyfriend's lips. It was then that Wade hooked his arms under Peter's arms and lifted him up, so that now he sat on the ex-mercenary's lap and his lower back pressed against the armrest, and the two held each other warmly and passionately. Wade pushed his mask up just enough to reveal his lips, so that he could kiss Peter with great need.

'_Are we interrupting something here?'_

Peter jumped onto his feet. He stumbled backwards a little, as his feet caught on Wade's, but luckily he caught his balance and prevented himself from falling down onto the table behind him. There was a loud laugh from his boyfriend, but the older man simply pulled down his mask and pulled up the collar to his shirt. It was hard to comprehend how Wade _couldn't _be embarrassed, especially when they had just been caught about to make-out, but somehow Wade found it all hysterical.

Tony and Pepper stood by the end of the long hallway, just a little off from the open kitchen, and the look on Tony's face was . . . _terrifying_. He had clenched his hands into tight fists by his sides, whilst he drew in such deep and slow breaths that Peter could see every move of his chest, and his eyes were focussed entirely on the back of Wade's head where he sat. Tony never once looked at Peter. It was almost as if he couldn't bring himself to look at his son, or that perhaps he felt Wade too much a threat to let himself be distracted for even a second, but eventually Wade stood up and draped an arm around Peter's shoulders. Tony drew in a sharp breath.

They all stood in silence for a long moment, although Wade appeared to hum a theme song from some old sitcom or other, and after a long while his father took to preoccupying himself by loudly moving items in the kitchen. There would be a slam of a pan upon the stove, followed by utensils being thrown into the sink, and – all in all – Tony seemed to take his frustrations out onto the kitchen around him, so that Peter was filled with a deep sense of guilt. He didn't even know _why _he was guilty, but he just hated hurting his parents like that.

"S-sorry," said Peter. "We didn't think –"

"No, you _didn't _think," snapped Tony. "It was one thing when you tried to sneak in kisses with Gwen in your bedroom, but right here – in the _lounge _– next to where we all have to _eat_ -! You're supposed to be the smart one, Peter. Did you _really _think that there wasn't a chance that we would come back at all? Oh, not to mention, you _certainly _didn't think that maybe – just _maybe _– we wouldn't want to see _that_."

"Oh, but it's okay when _you _want to kiss Mom at a busy Christmas party in front of _all _the Avengers? Let me tell you, _I _certainly didn't want to see that! Last week's party was absolutely embarrassing! Oh, but _that_ is perfectly fine, right? Well, if I want to show my boyfriend just how much I love him, I will!"

"You don't even approve of PDA! You blush at even the _word _'kiss'!"

"Well, maybe I've grown up and maybe you should, too!"

"Seriously? You're going to play this game?"

Tony threw a dishcloth down onto the side. It was as if he were preparing to get into some sort of fight, as if he were trying to free his hands to use them against someone, but his father would _never _hurt Peter in a thousand years. It meant that he was about to tear Peter a new one verbally instead, which – after his moment of disrespect – he probably deserved, but frankly he didn't see why one single kiss to his long-term boyfriend should be such a big deal! It wasn't as though he had done anything wrong!

"Let's just be mature, shall we?" Pepper asked.

"Easier said than done," muttered Tony.

Peter gave a small sigh and walked over to his mother, whilst Wade ran across the room and took a rather impressive jump at least fifteen-feet into a kitchen chair, which gained a whoop of celebration from the masked man. It was hard not to miss the slight smirk on Tony's face, as if he were genuinely impressed by Wade's achievement in athletics, but the smirk quickly turned into a stubborn frown, as his father remembered that he was supposed to be angry.

He gave his mother a warm hug, before he walked with her over to the table. Pepper helped Tony prepare some drinks, whilst Peter sat next to Wade and held his hand under the table, although the touch of the gloved hand didn't feel quite right. He wanted to _really _hold his boyfriend's hand, free from any barriers, just as he would rather hold his hand on the table and not hide their innocent embrace underneath it, but he knew that it wouldn't be possible as things stood. Wade felt too insecure around his parents to forgo the mask and gloves, whereas his father would take any public displays as a personal offence. It was best to remain discreet.

"So," Pepper asked. "How have you both been?"

"We've been great, Mom," replied Peter. "We've been talking about moving in together, but we might wait until the summer. Wade says he wants me to wait until I'm absolutely sure, so – if all goes well – we'll make it all official around my twentieth, but I still like to think of the apartment as ours. We're also spending Boxing Day at Aunt May's, so hopefully we'll see you there!"

"Boxing Day?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I like to think of it as the Canadian 'day after Christmas'. It was actually Aunt May's idea, because – well – Wade and I wanted to make this our first Christmas together as a couple, because . . . you know . . . we weren't out as a couple last year. This way we still get to see everyone, but spend time alone, too."

"That sounds ever so sweet," said Pepper. "I hope you enjoy yourselves."

"You're choosing Wilson over us?" Tony asked.

Peter winced at those words. It was made worse when he could hear the hurt in his father's voice, even as the older man tried to mask it with disdain, but he knew Tony too well to fool for the apparent anger. There was a very subtle hint of disbelief to his tone, as well as the way he looked just _beneath _Peter's eyes, almost as if he were unable to make eye-contact with him, and his hand gave an almost imperceptible shake as he waved it about to make his point. Wade squeezed Peter's hand.

"Aw, who wouldn't put little old me first?" Wade asked.

"I – I'm not choosing anyone over _anyone_!" Peter said, panicked. "It's just this _one _Christmas, after that we'll spend Christmases together with you guys . . . as a _family_. I mean, heck, I'm spending New Year with MJ and Ava and the gang . . . you didn't accuse me of choosing _them _over you! Is it just because it's Wade? Do you just not want me to date him? Is that it? It's the _holidays_! Can we not do this now?"

"I'm sorry, Peter!" Tony sat down at the table. "You want to date Wade? Fine. I'll support you through this little phase and treat him well, but -! Good God, Peter! This is meant to be a _family _holiday and _family _time, but – you're not only bringing him to our home – you're _ditching _us tomorrow for _him_!"

"Wade _is _my family and he _isn't _just a phase! Don't disrespect us like that!"

"You'd disrespect us by bringing him here, though?"

"Clearly I made a mistake!"

Peter pulled his hand away from Wade's, so that he could prop his elbows on the table and rest his head in his hands, hoping that he could fight away the tears before they had a chance to fall. He wasn't going to cry. It would only make Wade feel responsible, as he was technically the cause of the argument, but it would also only make Tony feel guilty, as it was never his intent to make his son feel bad. They all wanted what was best for Peter, but no one seemed to think that he was capable of deciding what was best and what he needed. Wade rested his hand on Peter's thigh and squeezed reassuringly. It actually helped a lot.

It was then that Pepper came around with a selection of drinks, before she sat down herself next to her partner, where she then looked with great sympathy and respect to her only child. He admired how strong she seemed, as well as how she always looked so beautiful regardless of how she dressed and where she resided. Pepper wore one of Tony's old shirts and a pair of denim shorts, whilst her feet were bare, and yet she looked like any of the models from a magazine, and her face was so gentle that he felt that everything would be okay, just so long as she was there with them.

Pepper sipped her drink and gave Tony a stern look. It was enough that he seemed to be taken aback, as if he had expected her to side with him, but instead he relented and leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples as if pained. Pepper then reached out to take Peter's hand and held it tightly, so that he was forced to drop his other hand and look at her properly, at which point the tears fell and he felt the guilt begin to eat at him. He hadn't meant to let her see him cry.

"You didn't make a mistake," she said.

"Nah, your partner has a point," replied Wade. "I mean just look at Petey -! Okay, so you probably don't realise how hot he is, – at least I hope you don't! – but you got to admit that he's smart and patient and kind! He probably has made a mistake being with me, but what can you do, right? You got to make the best of a bad situation! I swore that I'd treat him right, I mean it! I'll always look after Petey!

"Hey, no one's stopping me from talking! That's a first! It's like you _want _me to carry on, but then you'll probably _want _me to stop, and –! Er, where was I? Okay, so I want Petey to be happy; even if he _could _be happier with someone else, he's not _with _someone else! He's with me! That means I've got to work super hard to make sure that he'll be just as happy as he would be with someone else! Only he wants me to be _myself_, which is weird, because how can he be happy with me? _I'm confused_. Me, too! Okay, so . . . until the day he leaves me, I swear I'll be the best boyfriend ever!"

"That's all well and good," said Tony. "Look, I'll lay it straight with you, Wilson. I appreciate that you treat my son well, because Peter deserves to be treated with absolute respect, but you're . . . _you_! I don't know what Peter sees in you, but I'm worried – that when he realises exactly _what _you are – that _we'll _have to clean up the pieces. I love that boy. I don't want you hurting him, but you know as well as I do that it's going to happen whether we want it to or not. So . . . that's that."

"Okay, listen here," said Pepper, "_both of you_. Peter has spent _his whole life_ with the weight of the world on his shoulders, being told who to be and what to do, as well as making decisions for everyone else _but _himself. Did either you – _for a second _– think that Peter knows himself better than _you two _do? Let me tell you, _I _don't think this is a 'phase' and I don't think he'll 'leave' Wade either. Talk to Peter, not each other."

"What's the point? Wade's here now, can't change that."

"I'll leave with just one word, Stark," Wade snapped.

"Yeah? _Go_!"

Wade was at once on his feet. He pushed back his chair and braced himself with both hands on the tabletop, at which point he looked about the table's occupants with his masked eyes. Peter felt his heart begin to race nervously, especially as he knew that Wade was so close to leaving, and the very last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to feel hurt or rejected. He wanted Wade more than anything. He _loved _Wade. Tony might have thought it a passing phase, whereas Wade might have been grateful to be on the receiving end of a fleeting crush, but they were both wrong. They were _wrong_!

Peter shot up at once and grabbed Wade's wrist, desperate to hold him in place, but the older man was strong enough to pull away and began to march out of the room. He couldn't let their petty arguments ruin the holidays! This was their _first _Christmas together as a couple! He grabbed the red sleeve of Wade's shirt, forcing him to still momentarily, and his boyfriend at once turned around with a face impossible to read through the cloth that covered it. Peter drew in a shaking breath.

"Don't leave, Wade," he begged.

"Your dad's right, Petey," snapped Wade. "I'm just ruining your Christmas by being here, plus you aren't going to want to look at photos of my masked face years from now . . . bet the wife and kids would love that! I'll wait for you at your apartment."

"Wade, don't give me a reason to be mad at you, too! I know that you don't think you're good enough for me, and I know that Dad thinks that, too, but do you know what _I _think? I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world! I think that there's no one else that has loved me for so long or so deeply, just as there's no one else that treats me with such kindness and gives me everything I need, and – to be honest – I worry whether I'm good enough for _you_! Let's just all sit down and _talk_, okay?"

"Nah, it's better this way," said Wade. "You're lucky enough to have a great family. You got a mom that loves you unconditionally, plus a dad that thinks you're so awesome that you deserve Jesus incarnate, and I'm just an ex-merc with a mouth that has a face that looks like a wet sock-puppet. I'll see you later, Petey."

"I love you. I _love _you and I want you here. I need you by my side."

"I love you, too, which is why it's better I go."

Peter watched as Wade left the room. He kept his head low, but his shoulders were tense and his muscles appeared to bulge beneath his shirt and jeans. It was only when Wade walked around the corner, perhaps thinking himself out of sight, that Peter caught him striking the wall so hard that – when he pulled his hand back – the red gloves appeared to shimmer just slightly in the light. He had bled with the force he has used. He must have been devastated by the whole conversation.

"I'm sorry, Peter, I –"

"Don't, Dad."

He drew in a deep breath and looked to his father. Tony had stood up and wore a rather uncertain expression, as if he no longer knew what to say or to do. He was probably relieved that Wade had gone, as if the absence of the older man would do Peter the world of good and open up the way to better partners, but he likely also saw the absolute agony written across Peter's face and found himself torn. Tony would do anything to make his son happy, but that would mean betraying his own opinions on Wade and simply letting his son make his own choices . . .

It would work out in the end, but after roughly four months of awkward tension between his boyfriend and father . . . he wondered how much longer this could go on, because he couldn't take much more. He was terrified that Wade might leave him, perhaps to save him the heart-wrenching choice between his parents and his boyfriend, and he was terrified that he would have to choose. He knew that he would choose Wade. He didn't want to lose his mother and father.

"I'll see you guys at Aunt May's the day after tomorrow?"

"Peter, you can't be serious?" Pepper asked. "You're going now?"

"I can't just let Wade leave like that," he replied. "I really do love him, no matter what anyone else thinks, and I need him to _know _that I'm never going to leave him. I wanted the holidays to be perfect, but they won't be perfect without him. I love you both, I really do, but . . . I love Wade, too. I don't want to have to choose, but at the minute it feels like you're giving me no choice! I'll see you guys later?"

"Of course," said Tony. "I just -! You know I love you, right? I just want to see you _happy _and -! I know, _I know_! Wade makes you happy, so -! Just give me a few days; I'll come up with something to make it up to the guy. Tell him – _I don't know_! Tell him that Iron Man has a present for him . . . welcome him into the family."

"You don't mean that. It's also a little too late when Wade's already gone."

"Peter, I -! I'm _trying_, alright?"

It was true: Tony was trying. He had never before even _acknowledged _that Wade had feelings to hurt, let alone tried to soothe them with an offer of some sort of present, and – considering that the Avengers were heroes of Wade – this would mean the absolute world to him when he found out. It was a start, but the damage had already been done and his boyfriend felt no longer welcome. It felt too little, too late, but Tony truly did want him to be happy and this was just a start.

"Thanks, Dad," said Peter. "I love you both."

"We love you, too," Tony replied.

Peter gave a low sigh and stormed into the lounge to pick up his coat, before he threw it on and made his way out of the room to the elevator. There was no sign of Wade in the slightest, which meant that he had probably already made it to the ground floor, and he felt kind of despondent about riding the elevator on his own. The last time he had ridden it alone had been before he and Wade had come out as a couple, and a part of him feared that this may be the first of a long set of rides alone, and that thought terrified him. He didn't want to lose Wade. He _couldn't_ lose Wade.

He entered the elevator and sent a simple text of: 'I love you'. It sent okay, but he feared that it would do little to help Wade. No, that wasn't true. He feared that it was too _late _to help Wade, that he would go home and find the older man had put the barrel of a gun to his temple and pulled the trigger, and that he would have to pull his boyfriend's body out of a bloody bath. He drew in a deep breath to calm himself.

"Please, don't do anything stupid!"

It was then he got a text back:

'Love you 2'.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Peter smiled down at Wade.

The older man was splayed on the bed, as he rested on his stomach with his arms under his head. It was rare to see Wade so comfortable and confident in himself, especially as he lay naked save for the towel on his waist and the mask upon his face, and – as Peter straddled him from behind – it allowed him the perfect chance to see his boyfriend in an almost natural state. He knew it was somewhat rude to stare, but it was hard to tear his eyes away from Wade.

Wade would never believe it, but he really did look beautiful. The cancer wasn't all too bad at that moment, which meant that the open sores were few, and instead it seemed that his body was criss-crossed with hundreds of scars of various sizes, with many appearing like silvery lines akin to stretch-marks. Peter let his fingertips trace over those along his boyfriend's spine. A few felt raised and rough, whilst others felt so smooth that they were almost like silk, and Wade murmured absently as Peter let his hands play loosely over the oiled skin. The scent of vanilla filled the air, so much so that it would probably linger for days, but it was sweet and relaxing to both men.

"I think I like this Christmas," muttered Wade.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," laughed Peter. "We still have to go to Aunt May's tomorrow. I'm just hoping Dad's gift for you is a good one, because you deserve a real apology, and I can't keep dealing with this constant arguing . . . I love you."

"Petey, we talked about this, didn't we? I know you – _ow_! _That hurt_!"

"Good, that was the point."

Peter rubbed at the skin he had pinched. It was slightly red just underneath Wade's shoulder blade, as well as there was the imprint of two small crescent marks, but frankly he felt that Wade deserved it. He proceeded to give his boyfriend a deep massage, focussing on the small marks and the more painful looking scars, and Wade let out a low and deep groan at the sensation. He kneaded the skin and worked out all knots and kinks, so eventually the older man was a completely relaxed puddle of contentment. The constant moaning was oddly erotic.

"I thought we talked about this," said Peter.

"Yeah? You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Don't I? You were going to say that you don't need an apology, because he was right and you're just you, followed by that I don't have to take care of you and I should put my parents before you, even though I keep telling you that I love you! You love me, right? Well, just accept that loving you makes me happy, and if you want _me_ to be happy then you'll just have to let me love _you_. I need this as much as you do."

"You've done enough already, Petey! There was the bath together last night, not to mention the foot rub this morning, and now the back-massage, too! Don't want people thinking I'm treating my sweetums badly! I got to do something for you, too!"

"You want to do something for me? Hand me my glasses."

"Aw, that's nothing! Give me a real challenge!"

Peter laughed as Wade reached out onto the bedside table. Wade then rolled onto his back and handed the glasses to Peter, even as Peter had to bite his lip at the thought of how the sheets would now be stained with the massage oil. It took only a second to put the glasses on, which helped sharpen his vision immensely, and – at the sight of Wade's grinning mask – he felt very grateful that he had 'accidentally' forgotten to put his contacts in that morning. He knew how much the glasses turned Wade on.

They looked at each other for a long moment, until Peter began to feel his boyfriend harden underneath him, but Wade decided to turn over so as to hide his growing member, perhaps to avoid feeling as if he were pressuring Peter into going further. It had been discussed already and at great length. Peter _wanted _to go further. He remained knelt over Wade, but this time he purposely removed his boyfriend's towel and used his hands to keep him in place. Wade gave a sigh, which made his heart skip a beat nervously, as he feared for a minute that Wade would change his mind, but he instead took to massaging the ex-mercenary's chest to relax him.

He firmly began to massage Wade's chest and stomach, so that the older man was squirming once again underneath him, but this time he went slowly so as to feel every contour of muscle and the hard definition to his body. It took all his self-control not to dip lower than his hips or to linger too long upon those dusky nipples, but he reminded himself that Wade was sensitive right now . . . still upset from what Tony had said to him . . . this needed to be intimacy for intimacy's sake. There was no way that he would pressure Wade, although he _would_ flirt . . .

"I know how much you like when I wear my glasses."

Wade groaned deeply and arched his back. It was true that he really did like Peter when he wore them, saying things like he was his 'sexy smart spider', and he could feel the older man's erection pressed rather firmly against the cleft of his buttocks. He smiled at the reaction and hoped that this meant that they could carry on, maybe take things further and enjoy themselves physically, but he would make sure that Wade made the first move or gave the first sign. Wade began to squirm.

"You're evil, baby boy," Wade moaned.

"You said that you wanted to do something for me? We've been talking about doing this for a while now, you even said that today would be the day, so – if you're up for it, which I can feel you are – can I finally getting around to opening my present? Here I am, clad only in shorts and with a tube of oil next to me, and the only thing that I'm waiting on is _you_. If you've changed your mind though, that's okay. I can wait."

"Fuck you," muttered Wade. "Don't tease me like that! How can I change my mind when you're there all beautiful and hot and oily? You have no idea how many dreams I've had about you putting those web-shooters and contortionist skills to use!"

"I'm not doing that to you for our first time! I want it to be romantic."

"Aw, you're blushing! You're hot when you blush!"

"W-Wade, don't be mean!"

Wade laughed loudly. It was teasing and made Peter squirm on the other man's lap, as he felt suddenly very exposed and vulnerable. He knew that his boyfriend would never mock him or belittle him, but there was just something about having Wade's eyes locked on his body that made him feel a little nervous. He still couldn't get used to having that intense level of interest upon him. Peter pushed his hands together somewhere above Wade's belly button, hoping to hide his body with his hands.

It was obvious that Wade didn't want that, as he had always loved looking at Peter and exploring his body at great length, and so he grabbed Peter's hands and pulled them up to his shoulders. There was a long moment of awkwardness, where Peter wanted to kiss his boyfriend simply to end the feelings of insecurity, but the mask blocked Wade's lips and the man underneath him was still laughing like a maniac. He drew in a deep breath and began to massage the shoulders beneath him, whilst he leaned down to rest his forehead against the red cloth of Wade's. Wade's hands then came to rest on his back and slid down beneath his boxers to squeeze his buttocks.

"Okay," said Wade, "so long as you promise not to be gentle!"

"W-what? Why? You mean your healing factor?"

"Ha, no! I mean for enjoyment!"

Wade reached between Peter's cheeks and began to circle his hole, pressing just enough to tease him and make him feel the pressure, but not enough to actually slip inside or to open him up. It had taken time, but Peter had realised over the course of their sexual relationship that he liked it when Wade inserted a digit or two, but today was meant to be about _them._ It wasn't meant to be just about Peter. He reached down to press light kisses upon Wade's collarbone, whilst his boyfriend continued to tease.

"I like it a little rough, Petey," Wade moaned.

"It's Christmas. It's our first time. Let's do this gently, okay?"

"You can do me however you want, baby boy." Wade groaned as Peter left a love-bite just below his mask. "You sure you want to do this? It's not something you can take back. You lose that big-V and it'll be gone for good. Got to be certain, Petey."

It was then that Wade slowly slipped his hands back onto the small of Peter's back, before he then hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Peter's boxers and lowered them down enough to free his erection. Peter gasped and began to fidget. It took him only a few minutes to slip the material down his legs, before kicking them away, but – by this point – Wade had pulled Peter down against him, so that they were now perfectly aligned. Peter moaned as their erections pressed together.

He drew in a deep breath and tried to calm down, but it was impossible to fight back his arousal when he could feel those rough and calloused hands stroking up and down his spine in comforting circles, and beneath him Wade was rocking just slightly in an almost imperceptible rhythm. There was no denying that Wade was well-built, which was no secret as his red-and-black uniform kept barely anything to the imagination, and right then Peter could only think about how he tasted . . . how it felt . . . the fact that they were both so different, with Wade uncut and with added girth. He could feel himself slippery with pre-come and wondered whether he could last.

"I'm certain," said Peter. "I love you."

Peter reached down to pull Wade's right leg up, so that it hooked itself over his left hip, and – without prompting – his boyfriend took the hint and wrapped his other leg around him, too. There was a little teasing with the heel of his foot, where Wade would purposely rub it between the cleft of Peter's buttocks, and he could feel it press against his hole in an oddly infuriating manner. It made Peter want to kiss Wade, but the mask was in the way and blocked both neck and lips.

"Take off your mask?" Peter asked.

"Aw, come on! You're not going to do me from behind, are you? I mean, it's fun and all, but it's hardly romantic for a first time as a couple! I didn't mind so much when Cable did it, but the bastard never claimed to be in love with me, plus I kind of want to see your expressions and eyes and that pretty body of yours! I love you, too! I don't want this to be a crazy one-night thing, but if you see me without the mask then –"

"Then I'll _still_ want to do you over and over and over," said Peter. "I don't want you to face away, but I don't want to look at your mask either! I want to make love to _you_, Wade, not the _illusion _of you. I want to look at you and feel you and know that it's _you _and no one else! I want _you_! I need to be able to see the man I love!"

"Okay, but if my face kills your boner, it's on you!"

"I've seen your face _plenty _of times."

He pulled back just enough to look down at his boyfriend. It was difficult to hide the pout on his lips, but this felt like the worst moment to have this discussion. There had never been a moment in all of their relationship when Wade's face had ever revolted him, let lone during the course of their sexual acts, and – frankly – he could think of nothing more erotic than the faces Wade pulled whenever he climaxed during oral sex or manual stimulation. Wade gave a sad sigh beneath him, as if he read his mind.

"This is different to some blow job," muttered Wade.

"That's what I'm hoping," said Peter.

Wade laughed despite himself, which brought a bright smile to Peter's lips, and he couldn't help but feel a little teary-eyed as his boyfriend brought his hands up around Peter's neck and shoulders to hold tightly. He rubbed his nose against Wade's covered one, before he shifted to put his weight on his left forearm and both knees. Peter reached up slowly to hold the very bottom of the mask, at which point he stilled and drew in a slow and shaking breath, as he waited for actual permission from Wade, something more than just an amused laugh. Wade nodded in acquiescence.

It was all the permission he needed, but he unmasked Wade as slowly as possible, just so that – should the older man change his mind – he would be able to object at any moment and protect his feelings. Wade didn't object. In fact, he simply watched as Peter slowly pulled the mask fully off, before he placed it carefully upon the bedside table, treating it with the absolute respect that it deserved. Wade was now naked before him, and Peter couldn't get enough of the sight.

He looked beautiful! He had a body that most men would _kill _to obtain, with muscles that seemed inhumanly large, and there wasn't an ounce of fat anywhere on him, and his bone-structure and proportions revealed a man that could have been a model in any other lifetime. The scars were prominent, but Peter would be sure to kiss each and every one of them when they were done, and the sores looked a little painful now he looked properly, but Wade was there open-mouthed and stared up at him with brown eyes filled with emotion . . . filled with fear . . . it broke Peter's heart into a thousand pieces. He at once reached up for the cord to turn off the light. The darkness fell.

"Hey, you turned out the light!"

"I thought it'd make you more comfortable," said Peter. "You're so self-conscious; we can still look at each other and see each other, but – this way – it's less defined and harder to see, so you don't have to worry about me. Just focus on the pleasure."

"Yeah, but I might as well have kept my mask on and -! _Oh God_! _That's cheating_!"

"All's fair in love and war, Wade."

Peter had braced both forearms on either side of Wade's torso, but his head had descended just low enough for him to wrap his lips upon one nipple and suck upon it, followed by quite hard nips that had Wade gripping his hair enough to hurt. It was always a turn-on to hear his boyfriend act so vocally, but usually he would hold back his moans and gasps behind his hands or in the crook of his arm or even muffle them in the pillows close by, but not when he thought that Peter couldn't see him. In the darkness, or behind his mask, he would let go. He would sometimes even scream.

It was then that Peter found himself pulled up by his armpits, so that he was suddenly reminded of Wade's intense physical strength, and he felt his boyfriend pull him into a rather consuming kiss. He felt Wade's tongue enter his mouth, just as he tasted the eggnog from earlier, and he felt a slight pain where his boyfriend dug his fingers tightly into his shoulder blade. A few seconds later Wade's left hand came down to wrap itself around both their members, which stole Peter's last ounce of sanity.

"D-don't do that! I – I won't – I won't last, Wade."

"You got a healing factor. It'll be back up in fifteen minutes."

"Y-yeah? I – I don't care. I want . . . I want to come inside you. W-Wade -!"

Wade gripped rather tightly, which caused Peter to lose all control of himself, enough that he buried his head into the side of his boyfriend's neck, where he began to kiss sloppily and lazily along the line of skin. Wade would twist his hand or rub his thumb into his slit, which would cause Peter to let out rather inhuman noises and bite down at Wade's neck. He felt all over the ex-mercenary's chest, playing with his nipples one moment only to stroke at his lips the next, and he knew that he wouldn't last long this way. Wade knew his body too well.

"Seriously, Wade . . . I need . . . I can't . . . you're so – so beautiful! So good!"

"Keep talking, Petey. Keep going. Don't stop."

"Oh -! Oh God -! W-Wade!"

It was a second later that Wade came. He let out a rough sound somewhere between a scream and a groan, which made it clear that the scarring had decided to reach his vocal chords and gave him a rather gravelly sound, and suddenly Peter felt four deep scratches run down his back and Wade's back arch beneath him. There was a hot burst of wetness upon his stomach, and when he looked down . . . _Wade looked amazing_. He looked so _free_. His mouth was open wide and eyes screwed shut . . .

"_Wade_!"

Peter came almost immediately. It was impossible not to look at Wade . . . to see him so uncaring about his appearance, so lost to pleasure and love . . . it was impossible not to look at him and lose all control. The darkness didn't hide as much as Wade thought, and Peter never took his eyes off Wade as he came. He refused to so much as blink. It felt that to look away – even for a second – would be a total blasphemy.

He felt his muscles tighten and clench, as well as heard his heartbeat loudly drumming in his ears, and he lost his voice completely in the moment of absolute pleasure. It was embarrassing to choke a little on his saliva, especially when he couldn't help but rock into Wade's closed fist, and suddenly his come mixed in with Wade's and made a mess upon both of their stomachs. He felt light-headed. There was a wave of after-shocks, before he gathered his breath and swallowed hard. He eventually managed to calm down and fell upon Wade with a thud.

"Petey?"

"Uh? _So hot _. . . can't speak."

"Ha! We haven't even fucked yet and already I've screwed your brains out," Wade said with a heavy laugh. Peter felt it vibrate through his chest. "Hey, I'm hard again. You got to love this healing factor! Mine so beats yours!"

"This isn't a competition. I'll be hard again soon, too."

"Yeah, but I'm hard _now_."

Peter smiled at the whine to Wade's voice. He felt the older man fidget wildly beneath him, as he moved his hips around to try and get some friction, but – as he spotted Wade's hand moving to touch his member again – he pulled his boyfriend's hand away. He wanted this time to _count_. It felt a little painful each time Wade's erect length brushed against his over-sensitive and half-hard self, but he simply smiled and leaned down to whisper into Wade's ear as seductively as he could manage.

"I better get to work then," said Peter.

"You still want to do this with me, Petey?"

He didn't answer. It was probably a little cruel, as he could hear the scepticism and genuine worry in Wade's voice, and he began to wonder whether Wade had began this manual stimulation in order to give Peter an out. He decided to _show _Wade exactly what he wanted, so he placed a quick peck to his boyfriend's lips and then slowly slid down his body. He trailed kisses along his collarbone, then his sternum, then began to lick off the drying come as he made his way down to his hardened member, which he avoided entirely. Peter pushed Wade's legs up high with his hands, before he began to lick at his twitching hole. Peter wanted this.

"I guess that's a yes," hissed Wade.

Peter had always objected when Wade had tried this with him, as he had always thought it unclean and beneath his boyfriend, but now that he tried it – able to give such selfless pleasure to the one he loved – he could see why it would be so enjoyable. He licked in light circles around his hole, before he pushed inside and tried not to wince at the strange taste. It was the first time that he had ever done this to Wade, but he loved how the older man mewled and tugged at his hair.

There would be no risk of disease with Wade's healing factor, which meant that they could be a _little _irresponsible in terms of protecting themselves, and that only served to make these moments all the more intimate. Peter reached out for the bottle of oil, grateful that he had chosen the oil that doubled as a sexual lubricant. It would probably taste of vanilla too, which had only prompted argument from Wade earlier on that cherry was a much better flavour and more appropriate when one was getting 'popped', but frankly since _Peter _was doing the licking and tasting then _Peter _felt he should be the one to choose. It would all lead to an amazing night, anyway.

"You're such a tease, Petey."

"I – I thought that was the point?" Peter coated his fingers in the oil thoroughly. "I mean . . . don't – don't you need to be aroused and relaxed for this? I – I also – it's nice to -! I _like _making you feel good, Wade. You still want this, right?"

"Dude, you're asking me that with your tongue in my ass? I want you like you wouldn't believe! Hell, you've turned one of the boxes into a murmuring mess! You've got more skills than you know, baby boy! I'd say to use that tongue on your enemies, turn them into a quivering mess that would make them _never _want to attack you again, but that tongue is _mine_, and I – _oh fuck, do that again_! You're so good!"

"Hmm? What do you want me to do again, Wade?"

"Drop dead! You're so – _fuck, fuck, fuck_!"

"What was that?"

Peter crooked his finger inside Wade. It had been surprisingly easy to slip it inside, but they weren't strangers to these kinds of touches and this kind of play, and – as such – it felt familiar for all the right reasons. He had made sure to follow the contours of his boyfriend's body, whilst keeping to the inner wall, and all the while Wade kept his channel fluttering unconsciously, so that Peter was aware of every tremor of pleasure. Each time he touched a certain spot, Wade would clench painfully.

He took that was a sign to insert a second finger, as he felt himself begin to get fully erect once more, and suddenly Wade was swearing in an almost continuous fashion. Wade wasn't in pain, if he were then Peter would have stopped in an instant, but rather he enjoyed the sensations so much that he could barely control himself and found himself writhing in the sheets. It was truly erotic to see Wade thrusting down on both digits, especially when Peter always felt the stretch beyond one digit to be far too uncomfortable. Wade never seemed to mind. He would feel the stretch at three, but never at two, and _not_ when Peter had taken to licking his shaft.

"Another," Wade shouted. "Another! _Another_!"

"You don't have to ask _thrice_."

"Another! _Fuck_!"

Peter licked between his fingers at the hole, which did little to add to lubrication and inside only gave him a _terrible _taste of something that _should_ be vanilla and yet clearly _wasn't. _He reached out again for the tube and squirted a sizable amount onto his third finger, and ignored Wade kicking his shoulder and telling him that he was using too much. True, it _was _a turn-off to be told that he'd turned Wade into a Slip 'N Slide, but there was no way that he would risk hurting his lover, healing factor or not!

"Tell me if it's too much, okay?" Peter asked.

"If I can't handle this," Wade muttered, "no way I'd handle your dick!"

It was a matter of fact that caused Peter to blush. The truth was that Wade was right, because three fingers was far less than one member, but that he could be so open and outright about what they were doing -! Peter slipped in a third finger to distract himself from the embarrassment. Wade murmured vaguely about 'handling dicks', before he drew in a low hiss of breath and lifted both legs and held them wide apart by his knees, which gave Peter more room to work. It was then that he felt Wade stretched and wide, definitely lubricated enough, but he worried nonetheless.

He pulled his fingers out and knelt back for a brief moment, just long enough to coat his length with lubrication and make sure that it would _definitely _slide in with minimal resistance, but Wade kept keening and desperately seeking to bring him back. Peter gave a sound between a laugh and a sigh, unsure which to give, before he forced Wade's legs to wrap around his hips and pulled up to press his lips against his boyfriend's. He kissed Wade and reached down to angle his member against his hole.

"Condom or no condom?" Peter asked.

"No fucking condom! No way! I want to feel it!"

"Sounds good to me," he whispered.

Peter kept a hold of himself and began to push forward, but he hit a resistance that he hadn't expected and forced himself to pause. It was then that Wade swore again under his breath, before he pulled Peter against him with a great amount of strength, which forced Peter's member into him. It was then that Wade gave out a curse once more, but this time of pleasure, and Peter had to push the rest of the way in on his own. He went slowly . . . giving Wade time to adjust . . . it took all of his self-control to do so.

The pleasure was immense, as well as nothing he had otherwise experienced, and Wade was so _damned _tight! Peter began to breathe fast and shallowly, whereas his heart raced furiously in his chest, and all over he felt hot and as if his skin were somehow crawling where it sat. He wanted _more_. It made him want to move, especially when Wade was fluttering and contracting around his length, and it reminded him a little of oral sex . . . it was hot and wet and teased him in all the right places, but there was something else. There was pressure and an almost massaging sensation, as well as the feeling of his lover's body encasing him and holding him, and when he lowered his head Wade kissed him. It was incredible!

He slowly angled his hips. It earned a gasp from Wade, who broke the kiss to take in air, and Peter wondered whether he had hit that spot that – as he knew from personal experience – was an absolute wonder to touch. Their mouths hung lazily against one another, as they simply breathed in one another's air, and occasionally their tongues would flick out to touch and taste their partner, as if to remember that they ought to be kissing and yet couldn't find the energy through the blinding pleasure to do it. Peter slowly pulled back and pushed back in. He started to find a rhythm.

"Sure this is your first time?" Wade asked.

"It sure feels like it's yours," Peter teased back.

"Bastard. Get moving, will you?"

Peter laughed and began to thrust in earnest. Wade reached up with one hand to wrap itself in Peter's hair, whilst his other came down to grip firmly on Peter's buttock, which – in true fashion – was used to force a faster pace and make him move harder. It was a little more erratic and hard than he had intended, but the romance was still there and so was the love. He looked deep into Wade's eyes and Wade looked back.

They didn't look away from each other the entire time, whilst occasionally they slipped deep kisses to one another, and soon Peter found that there was a sheen of sweat on both of them and the heavy scent of sex in the air. He had expected the whole act of lovemaking to be sweet and slow, but somehow – despite the fantasies he had built in his mind – this was just as loving and more than perfect, as well as exceeding all his expectations. He began to move at a pace so fast that neither one could breathe, so that every moan and gasp was broken and punctuated with thrusts, and yet he loved every moment . . . it was just too good . . .

"_Fuck, fuck, fuck_! So close, Petey! _Fuck_!"

"W-Wade, I – I think –"

"_Fuck, Peter_!"

Wade let out an absolutely piercing scream. It hurt Peter's ears and he could feel those inner walls clench around him to the point that it almost hurt, and the fingers in his hair held so tight that he was _sure _Wade had pulled out some hair. Wade pulled Peter impossibly close to him with the soles of his feet, whilst his other hand dug deep cuts into the meat of his buttock, and it was then Wade tilted his head back and exposed his throat and arched his back to the point it looked like it might break.

Peter gave a breathless gasp . . .

He barely registered the copious amounts of come that shot across his chest, let alone that Wade had reached an orgasm without any stimulation to his penis, and all he could think about – his only feeling at all – was the absolute bliss he experienced. There was a moment when the world seemed to explode into light, so that he lost his ability to breathe entirely and could do nothing but freeze inside Wade. There was a rush unlike any other. He panted and gaped uselessly, before he eventually came down from his impossible high, and soon there was nothing but a warm wave of relief and a sense of relaxation unlike any he had ever felt before.

"Better than any blow job, huh?" Wade muttered.

Peter couldn't answer. He simply collapsed onto his side, allowing his now spent member to slide out of his lover, which resulted in a sharp hiss from Wade and allowed him to see a small trickle of come slide out of the older man's hole. It was a little embarrassing to be covered in sweat and come, both breathless and blushing all over, and he couldn't help but wonder how on earth his body _could _blush like that, even as he looked across to Wade's dilated eyes in the dark.

He pulled his partner over and onto him, so that they lay cuddled against one another in their need to catch their breaths, and Wade began to stroke lazily up and down Peter's sides and plant soft – yet rather random – kisses over his face and neck and collarbone. A part of Peter desperately hoped that their healing factors would tackle any bruises and cuts and aches by tomorrow, because it would be embarrassing beyond words to walk into his Aunt May's home with a limping Wade and love-bites all over their necks. Peter began to kick up the blankets to cover them.

"It's your turn next," mumbled Wade.

"I sure hope so," Peter laughed. "Okay, let's get one thing straight though: I may have a healing factor, but it's _nowhere near _as good as yours, so let me have a quick nap before we hit the third round. I'm not going anywhere. We have all night."

"Hey, I've been a good little Wade for over a year now! I've not once pushed you too far or asked for more than you were ready for and the amount of times I've had to beat one off in the shower -! You've got me all hot and bothered, plus you _promised _to put your web-shooters to good use, and I think I'm half-hard . . . okay, a quarter-hard . . . I'll be hard soon enough, I swear! Come on, Petey! I'm horny!"

"You're such a pig!" Peter pressed a kiss to Wade's nose. "Later, okay?"

"You swear? I can go all night!"

Peter laughed again, but this time pulled Wade a little further up to kiss him deeply. He could sense the hesitation in his lover's voice, where there lived a little speck of fear that – now Peter had gone all the way – he may be bored or have all that he could have wanted, and there was nothing that he wanted more than to erase every ounce of fear that Wade had about rejection. If it meant making love to Wade all night, it was something that he would do. It was too amazing to complain about, that was for sure.

"I swear," he promised.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Merry Christmas, Peter!"

Peter gave a warm smile. It was nice to be embraced by his mother, especially when they had parted on such bad terms, but he felt a little awkward to be hugged in front of his boyfriend and his father. He could almost feel the tension in the air, as well as the worry of how Tony and Wade would react to one another, but the very last thing he wanted was for them to cause a scene in his aunt's house, during the holidays no less! They appeared to be playing nicely, but he knew appearances were deceiving.

It was then that his mother pulled away, which left him feeling a little empty and cold without her touch, but she let her hands stay firm upon his upper arms and held him for just a few moments longer. There was a beautiful glow about her. The candlelight and Christmas lights reflected perfectly on her skin, whilst she had dressed herself smartly for their family day together. It was nice to see her so happy, although he couldn't help but note the sharp glances that she shot to Tony, and then – gently and with an almost pained smile – she let go and stepped to one side. The head gesture that she sent to Tony made it clear her wishes.

"Er, yeah," said Tony. "Merry Christmas, son."

"Thanks, Dad, it means a lot."

Tony moved forward into the living room, before he made to give Peter a hug in turn, but – at the last moment – he pulled away and gave a slight pause, which was a cause for concern and made him wonder whether their relationship could be repaired. It was enough to make Peter's breath hitch a little, as well as his smile break just slightly, but luckily it was then that his father dove forward, where he then pulled him into a firm and tight embrace. There was no doubt of his love in that moment.

He eventually let go of Peter with an embarrassed cough. It forced Peter to bite his lip to hold back a laugh, especially when Tony then clapped him several times on his back in a rather 'masculine' display of affection, before he then drew himself up tall and gave as stoic a nod as he could manage. Peter looked across the room to Wade, who was huddled up in his uncle's old armchair, where he sat cross-legged and kept his hood so low on his face that he was barely recognisable. It was a relief that there was no mask, but that only meant that his boyfriend would feel more exposed and vulnerable than ever before. Peter _desperately _hoped this would go well

They stood in silence for a long while, before Pepper put a gentle hand on her partner's shoulder. She gave both men a kiss upon the cheek, as if to reassure both of them that everything would be okay, and then made her way over to Wade. It was rather endearing to see the way his boyfriend jumped at the feeling of Pepper's hand upon his knee, especially when he seemed to tense as his mother gave him a half-hug and asked after his well-being, but he managed to give a soft nod and watched her nervously as she sat opposite him on a sofa. Peter held back a laugh.

"I see you've found the boys," said May.

May came into the living room with a tray filled with hot drinks and snacks, before putting them down next to the model reindeer on the coffee table. Tony reached out for a mince pie, whilst May sat down on another sofa and patted the spot next to her, where Peter took up residence and reached out his hand to squeeze his boyfriend's arm on the armchair next to him. It was then that Tony sat across from them next to Pepper, finally completely the almost triangular structure.

"I hope they haven't been causing too much trouble," said Pepper.

"Oh, not at all!" May reached over to pat Peter's shoulder. "They've both been such a wonderful help! It turns out that Wade is quite handy around the kitchen, so I've had my own personal little elf all day! We've been working on dinner together, so here's hoping that it'll be as delicious as it looks. I'm starting to enjoy Boxing Day! I'm so glad that we could all spend today together as a family."

"You know that you're always welcome at Stark Tower, don't you? We've actually had Phil stop by a few times just to check up on things, and – you didn't hear this from me – I think he was hoping to catch sight of a certain someone. Tony will probably hate me for saying this, but we could always double-date."

"You're so sweet, Pepper! I don't think Tony would be all too impressed."

"I'm sure he'll come around to the idea."

Peter gave a heavy sigh. The idea of his aunt dating Coulson felt wrong beyond all measure, especially when Coulson was pretty much in charge of his professional life with S.H.I.E.L.D. and its associates, and he always hated the idea of mixing his two worlds of home and work. He knew that his aunt deserved to be happy, as well as to feel less alone in the absence of his uncle, but he had hoped that she would find happiness with someone that _wasn't _in charge of his friends' lives as superheroes, as well as someone that _always _seemed to see his presence in the Helicarrier as a chance to enforce 'training' on him. It would just be awful.

He looked around the room, whilst his aunt and mother talked about just about everything that they could seemingly think about, and he felt a sense of safety and security that could only come from finally being _home_. He had forgotten just how much he adored his aunt and her house, including the comforts of his room and the photos of his uncle that adorned the walls, and when he looked to Wade – almost curled up where he sat awkwardly – he felt glad to share the day with his boyfriend.

"Speaking of Tony," Pepper said carefully.

Tony cleared his throat on the other sofa, before he gave a shrug and looked across from Wade to Peter anxiously. It was then that he flung himself back against the cushions and folded his arms across his chest, which did little except make him seem a little petulant and reluctant to speak, and yet he looked across to Peter and gave him a nod that spoke of understanding and acceptance. It didn't go past Peter's notice that his father had yet to greet Wade, and this seemed like he was still deliberately ignoring the other man, and it hurt him that he could treat Wade so insignificantly.

"Ah, right," said Tony.

"Well?" Pepper asked. "We talked about this."

"Okay, well, you guys haven't traded presents yet, right?"

Peter rolled his eyes at his father, as – considering Christmas was the day before – there was very little reason why they wouldn't have traded gifts. He looked to Wade and smiled at the sight of his boyfriend, as Wade had yet to take off his hooded top that was designed with a pattern like his Deadpool costume, and he couldn't help but think of how his eyes had lit up on the sight of it. Wade had been so happy to receive a gift, especially one that matched his personality so perfectly, and he had looked so beautiful with his wide smile and blushed cheeks.

"You didn't wait to trade presents?"

"Well, we did and we didn't," said Peter. "We've put your presents and Aunt May's under the tree, so we can open them all today as a family, but Wade and I traded our presents yesterday morning. He made me a scrapbook of all of Spider-Man's greatest moments, although a lot of that seemed to be me banging into buildings, and I got him the top that he's wearing. We just spent the night cuddled up."

"Uh-huh? So it was just a night of innocent cuddling? I'm sure that explains why he's laughing so hard beneath that hood of his. You know what? I don't care. I don't want to know and I don't need to know. Look, I got you a present . . . Wilson, too."

"Oh, er, I'm sure Wade will love it. He's right there though . . ."

"I know. I'm sorry . . . _Wade_."

Tony forced himself to look at Wade. He was clearly still rather angry, as well as likely forced into apologising, and yet this felt like a huge step forward. It was very rare that his father apologised to anyone at all, let alone someone that he considered to be as much as a threat as he did Wade, and yet he had swallowed his pride and strove to make amends, which was a relief unlike any other. Peter smiled at the fact his father loved him enough to make such a sacrifice.

There was an awkward moment of silence, during which Wade looked up ever so slightly to see just what his boyfriend's father wanted. The hood of his top shielded his face enough to cast him into shadow, but the small smirk on his scarred lips was visible, even at the odd angle that he sat from Peter. He hoped that this would end well, that his boyfriend wouldn't antagonise his father or that his father wouldn't criticise Wade, but so far they seemed to be playing well. Tony cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders to try and centre himself. It was then he spoke with a sigh:

"I'm sorry about the other day, Wilson."

"It's no problem, Stark," replied Wade. "I know you're just worried about Petey, but – the way I see it – that's just something we have in common! We both love Petey, right? It means we got something to start a friendship on! I'd be worried too, if I were you, I mean what with a man like me dating your son, but Petey and I had a long chat and I figured that it's all good! I'll prove to be a good boyfriend to him in no time!"

"I'm . . . sure. Look, I shouldn't have said what I said . . . least not to your face . . . if being nice to you means seeing my son more, I'll just have to be nicer. Anyway, _here_, I made you something to make up for everything. Take it."

"Aw, how sweet! I didn't get you anything, though! I know, how about a kiss?"

"Take it or choke on it," Tony spat.

Tony reached down to pick a present by the side of his sofa, then threw it rather violently with one hand across to Wade, who – with his usual skill – caught it rather flippantly and easily in one hand in turn. Pepper nudged her partner hard in his ribs, so as to warn him to be polite and to remind him just why they were there. It was clear that his father still considered the whole task something of a challenge, so he collapsed back against the sofa and folded his arms with a pout.

"Doesn't Petey get a present?" Wade asked.

"Of course," said Pepper. "We have presents for everyone, but usually we open them after dinner. I guess we can make an exception for today, can't we, Tony? You can open your presents both together. Tony, did you bring Peter's gift?"

"There's no way in hell that I'd forget my son," muttered Tony. "Look, before I give you anything, Peter, I just wanted to say something. Just hear me out, because this is hard enough as it is, okay? Right. Well, I don't like Wilson, and I don't think he's good for you, _but _I know that he makes you happy. If someone can make you smile like a complete and utter moron, well . . . they can't be all bad. I'll put in more effort. Just -! Just learn to _shut him up_ on occasion, for my sake, alright?"

"Thank you, Dad," replied Peter. "That means a lot . . . to both of us."

"Yeah, well, here you go."

Tony reached down for the other two presents. He handed one to Pepper, who – after glancing to May for approval – placed it under the tree with the rest, so that they the older woman could open it later on as per their tradition. The final present he handed to Peter. It was wrapped absolutely perfectly and beautifully, as opposed to Wade's mass of different types of paper and huge wads of various tapes, and so it was clear that his mother had wrapped his and Tony had wrapped Wade's.

It was good, at the very least, that his father had treated Wade's with enough respect and thought to _try _and wrap it himself. Peter shared a look with Wade, who was looking at his present in a way that was a little worrying, almost as if he expected it to explode or break at a mere touch, but he knew that his boyfriend had a rather troubled past. He simply wasn't used to presents or selfless gestures, which meant that he probably felt a little pressured and put on the spot, unsure how to react or what to say in return for his gift. Peter took the lead and unwrapped his first. It appeared to be a photo album of all their family moments, but with a few photos of Deadpool, too.

"It's great, Dad," said Peter. "Thanks, Mom."

He let his fingers trace over the photos of Deadpool, next to the ones of him with his mother at his high-school graduation. There were handwritten captions underneath all the photos, where he was happy to see 'Wade – boyfriend' written underneath those of Deadpool in his mother's handwriting, and it was clear to him then that he had his family's support in his relationship. They had accepted Wade, even if they were still uncertain and perhaps a little disapproving . . . they accepted him.

"You even included my favourite photo," said Peter.

"Oh, I see it!" May rested a hand on his shoulder and leaned in. "The one of you and your uncle? It is a beautiful one. I remember taking that one . . . it was the day after you traded your glasses for contact lenses, and you were so proud to show off your face free from frames! I do wish that he could be here with us for the holidays, especially when he would have loved Wade . . . you two are a good couple."

"I – I really appreciate you guys taking the time to put this together. I mean . . . it really means a lot to me. T-thank you, both. Er, Wade, what did you get? Darn it, I think I'm tearing up, I didn't think I'd get so emotional . . . I'm sorry!"

"Aw, you're so cute, baby boy! I – _hey_! Did – did you see this?"

"Hmm? What did you get?"

Wade lifted up his gift high above his head. It was actually rather endearing, especially as he held it in both hands and wore a rather childlike grin on his face, and – as he pulled it down – he thrust it forward so that it was a mere few inches from Peter's face, which forced him to blink in surprise. He looked curiously at the item in front of his face, which was suspiciously like an action-figure. It actually looked pretty good. It was made of metal, but held a very familiar red-and-black pattern over it, and it was then that Peter recognised what it was meant to be: Iron Deadpool.

"This is so fucking amazing!"

"_Language_," May chastised.

Peter rubbed at his mouth to hide his smile. He could see the unadulterated happiness that Wade wore, which was so rare to see and even rarer for him to maintain, and – although Peter feared something coming along to break the mood – he felt eternally grateful to his father for putting so much thought into such a gift. Wade never felt accepted, just as he had still yet to find a place where he belonged, but this gift proved that he was beginning to become a part of the family. It gave Wade some hope.

"Dude, this is the _best _gift ever!"

"Well, there's no way in hell that I'd make you a _real _suit," Tony muttered. "Listen, Peter talks about you a lot. You're probably his favourite person, which – having heard as much about you as I have – makes you my _least _favourite person . . . you have a bad past and a very troubling mental state. It'd be insane to even let you _look_ at my tech, let alone _wear _it . . . I have enough work to do as it is, least of all I need is to clean up after _you _wearing Stark gear and screaming out my name to the press.

"So yeah, I'll be long dead by the time _you _wear any Stark tech. I figured that it wouldn't hurt to let you get a look at my ideas and what you would have gotten, had – you know – things been a bit different. Peter told me how much you look up to the Avengers, which is . . . well . . . usually it's little kids' drawings I sign, not grown-ass men with swords stuck to their back, but – hey – apparently you're _family _now. Peter gets his own suit and occasionally works with us, so . . . if one day – in some crazy parallel universe – you ever joined us . . . well, that'd be the Iron 'Pool to the Iron Spider. It's a pretty good model. I made it myself."

"Ignoring the backhanded compliments," said Peter, "that's actually really kind."

"No way! Not kind! Awesome!" Wade called out. "_Way_ awesome!"

"You really like it, huh?"

Wade gave a loud laugh. It was a second later that he lunged himself off the armchair, only to crash a little too forcefully next to Peter on the sofa, as he squeezed himself between the armrest and his boyfriend. He pressed the 'Iron Deadpool' figure into Peter's hands, before he draped an arm over his boyfriend's shoulders and nuzzled his head against his neck affectionately. Peter smiled and began to fidget with the figure, hoping that Wade wasn't cuddling up in order to take a nap.

"I guess it's pretty cool," Peter said.

"It's cooler than cool! It's got articulated arms and everything! The colour is a bit splotchy, but then blood makes the shade change slightly anyway, but then blood wouldn't make iron change colour, would it? Hey, heroes don't get blood on them! Oh, okay, maybe sometimes, but I wouldn't make a habit of it! Say, do you think we could use this to reverse-engineer a _real _costume? That would be the best ever!"

"If I had known it'd make you that happy," muttered Tony, "I would have made an Iron Spider model, too. Okay, let's get this straight: it's _just _a model. It doesn't shoot lasers or contain an AI or even do anything except _sit_ there. I'm _not _making you a real suit, either. Still . . . Happy Christmas, Wilson."

"Right back at you, Stark! Best present ever!"

"Seriously, Wade?" Peter mumbled.

Peter turned his head to glare at his boyfriend. It was hard to forget the night before, which had been perhaps the best night of their relationship to date, and he still had the love-bites to his neck and soreness to his behind to attest that. He knew that consummating their relationship wasn't strictly a 'gift' as such, let alone when they had spent all night making up for lost time, but he still couldn't help other than to pout at the fact Wade felt an _action figure _the best part about the holidays.

It was then that Wade appeared to sense his boyfriend's displeasure; he used his free hand to pull Peter's face towards him, before he pressed a rather chaste kiss to his lips and moved back to look him in the eyes. He saw the absolute love in Wade's expression, just as he felt the gentleness to his touch, and then – as Wade pulled his arms away to take the figure in his hands – he saw the awe that his partner wore, as well as the childlike look of excitement that made Peter smile to see. It was impossible to stay angry with him. He instead lifted Wade's arm up enough to cuddle underneath it, as his mother gave a gentle laugh and stood up politely.

"How about we open the rest of the presents early?" Pepper asked.

"That sounds like a great idea!" May answered.

May climbed to her feet and helped Pepper collect the presents to bring to the table centre of the room, whilst Tony gave an annoyed glance to Peter and rolled his eyes, before he made to move the larger and heavier of the items. There was a muttered: 'no, please, stay seated'. It made Wade laugh, but Peter couldn't help but nuzzle against his boyfriend and let out a moan of embarrassment, knowing that his parents and aunt were doing the work to give them a chance to cuddle.

He smiled despite himself and pulled Wade's hand to his lips.

"Happy Christmas, Wade," said Peter.

"Happy Christmas, baby boy!"


End file.
